The problem of evil.

[disciple]

According to the Bible, neither humankind nor the world was made in a state corrupted by evil. God created all things and called them very good. God also provided in abundance for everything that Adam and Eve, creatures made in His image, could ever need. As creatures made in God's image, they were endowed with moral ability, the freedom to choose between good(obeying God) and evil(disobeying God). How long this good state lasted is unknown, but at some point Adam and eve freely disobeyed God by violating the one commandment He gave them. So evil was introduced into the world by the free choice of morally accountable creatures. Apparently evil was possible but people made it actual. Of course God being omniscient, knows that people will sometimes choose evil. So since God is morally perfect and benevolent, He must have a good reason for permitting evil. Since we don't know His reason for permitting evil, the hypothetical question is, what might God's reason possibly be? I know this is a stretch, but I don't know enough to discuss Mormonism and there not much else to talk about.

[alanmolstad]

Satan has raised a challenge to God.
It's one that God can not just dismiss, or pretend that the challenge to Him does not matter.

What i think is going on is that we humans are the answer that God came up with the meet the challenge of Satan...

"We" are the battleground where God answers the challenge of Satan.

[disciple]

Originally Posted by alanmolstad

Satan has raised a challenge to God.
It's one that God can not just dismiss, or pretend that the challenge to Him does not matter.

What i think is going on is that we humans are the answer that God came up with the meet the challenge of Satan...

"We" are the battleground where God answers the challenge of Satan.

Thanks for your reply.
I don't see that Alan and perhaps I just don't understand your meaning. Satan is a created being, and not the opposite of God.

[alanmolstad]

Originally Posted by disciple

Thanks for your reply.
I don't see that Alan and perhaps I just don't understand your meaning. Satan is a created being, and not the opposite of God.

One of the things we learn when we go over the topic of "Satan" is that Satan is not actually our "adversary".

He is God's.

Satan is not trying to "look like humans"....Satan does not want to be "human"

[disciple]

Originally Posted by alanmolstad

One of the things we learn when we go over the topic of "Satan" is that Satan is not actually our "adversary".

He is God's.

Satan is not trying to "look like humans"....Satan does not want to be "human"

Jesus has already defeated sin and death so there is no contest. 1Peter 5:8 tells us the devil is our adversary, which I think is his only way to strike at God. While satan does want to be like God, I think he knows he has already lost.

[alanmolstad]

no he is not really our adversary.....Satan is not at war with humans....
Satan's war is with god....humans are more or less where the battle ground is.

[disciple]

Originally Posted by alanmolstad

no he is not really our adversary.....Satan is not at war with humans....
Satan's war is with god....humans are more or less where the battle ground is.

Who or what is our adversary then, since the scriptures tell us we do not struggle with flesh and blood?

[alanmolstad]

Originally Posted by disciple

Who or what is our adversary then,...

We answer that question depending on the context that it is asked within.

It's kinda like answering the question, "what was the name of the son of god in your Bible?
many people would look at that question and answer that the name of the son of God in our Bible is "jesus"

and they would be right, in a given context.
But we also know that Jesus was called the "last Adam" too, in a different context.

So the names "Jesus" and "Adam" are both correct, as they are correct within their given context.

Satan is God's adversary in his nature.
Satan is not ours, because Satan does not seek to make a point to us.
Satan is not a challenger to us, because Satan does not want anything from us.
Rather Satan is our adversary due to the way we are the battleground where the war is being fought between God and God's only adversary - Satan.

[disciple]

Originally Posted by alanmolstad

We answer that question depending on the context that it is asked within.

It's kinda like answering the question, "what was the name of the son of god in your Bible?
many people would look at that question and answer that the name of the son of God in our Bible is "jesus"

and they would be right, in a given context.
But we also know that Jesus was called the "last Adam" too, in a different context.

So the names "Jesus" and "Adam" are both correct, as they are correct within their given context.

Satan is God's adversary in his nature.
Satan is not ours, because Satan does not seek to make a point to us.
Satan is not a challenger to us, because Satan does not want anything from us.
Rather Satan is our adversary due to the way we are the battleground where the war is being fought between God and God's only adversary - Satan.

Yes satan's nature is to be against or anti-God as is the nature of humans. But satan's evil works and ours are allowed by God hence the original question.

[alanmolstad]

Originally Posted by disciple

Yes satan's nature is to be against or anti-God as is the nature of humans. But satan's evil works and ours are allowed by God hence the original question.

lets review it -
"So since God is morally perfect and benevolent, He must have a good reason for permitting evil. Since we don't know His reason for permitting evil, the hypothetical question is, what might God's reason possibly be?"

My ANSWER: God cant dismiss evil. The challenge of evil must be addressed.
The manner that God is addressing Satan's challenge is "faith"

[alanmolstad]

Now a lot of people are always answering that "Jesus paid for our sins on the cross"

And that "Jesus destroyed the work of Satan on the cross"....But how did he do this?

Was it just the fact that one guy died?
It that all it took?...one more guy dies and then suddenly all the works of Satan are a moot point?

My answer is that this death on the cross becomes important in the lives of believers who put "faith" in it.
lacking this faith, the death of Christ is just another death.

but it's this "faith" than makes the death of Christ powerful enough to destroy the works of Satan.

God has decided that the manner of addressing Satan's challenge of evil in this world is "Faith"
It is by faith that we receive the salvation that if give us in the cross.
It is by faith that we p*** from death to life.

[disciple]

Originally Posted by alanmolstad

Now a lot of people are always answering that "Jesus paid for our sins on the cross"

And that "Jesus destroyed the work of Satan on the cross"....But how did he do this?

Was it just the fact that one guy died?
It that all it took?...one more guy dies and then suddenly all the works of Satan are a moot point?

My answer is that this death on the cross becomes important in the lives of believers who put "faith" in it.
lacking this faith, the death of Christ is just another death.

but it's this "faith" than makes the death of Christ powerful enough to destroy the works of Satan.

God has decided that the manner of addressing Satan's challenge of evil in this world is "Faith"
It is by faith that we receive the salvation that if give us in the cross.
It is by faith that we p*** from death to life.

Now I get what your point is. That is a well explained answer. Very well said.

[alanmolstad]

ask another question....this is fun!